Israel says it detained a senior Hamas member in Gaza
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said a senior member of the Palestinian group Hamas had been detained following reports of an operation in Gaza City. At the same time, Israeli airstrikes in the city killed at least two children and a woman, according to local medics. Another child was killed in a separate incident in central Gaza, BBC News reports.
Operation in Gaza City
Katz did not identify the detained Hamas representative or say who carried out the detention. After meeting residents of the Israeli community of Netiv HaAsara near the northern Gaza Strip, he said Israeli forces continued to operate in the enclave.
According to Palestinian reports, intense gunfire broke out in the densely populated western part of Gaza City: two cars were struck and reduced to wreckage. Video from the scene showed gunfire and the aftermath of the strikes.
It was reported that Israeli special forces and a Palestinian militia supporting Israel entered the area, but their presence was detected. At the same time, some Israeli media suggested that only a local armed group was operating at the scene.
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Statements by the sides
A Palestinian security source told the BBC that the target of the operation was a senior official in Hamas's internal security service. Ismail al-Thawabta, spokesperson for the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, said an Israeli special unit had attempted to carry out an operation but was exposed. According to him, subsequent strikes resulted in deaths and injuries, as well as the deaths of several members of the special unit.
The Israeli military confirmed only that it had struck several targets in Gaza, saying this was done to eliminate threats to its troops. The Israel Defense Forces also said its servicemen were not harmed.
The war in Gaza began after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were taken hostage. According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, more than 73,460 people have been killed in the enclave since the start of the war; the UN considers these figures reliable.
